Motion converter mechanism for enclosed switch gear



Sept. 22, 1964 s. MACHAT ETAL 3,150,248

MOTION CONVERTER MECHANISM, FOR ENCLOSED SWITCH GEAR Filed April 17, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 .I/Werzzam p 22, 1964 s. MACHAT ETAL 3,150,248

uonon CONVERTER uzcmmsu FOR ENCLOSED swncu GEAR Filed April 17, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 3,150,248 MQTION CONVERTER BTEQHANISM FOR ENQLGSED SWlTCH GEAR Stephan Machat, Alhin Giinther, and Stephan Mai,

Neumunster, Germany, assignors to Licentia Patent- Verwaltungsum-L3H. Frankfurt am Main, Germany Filed Apr. 17, 196i, Ser. No. 153,595 Claims priority, application Germany Apr. 19, 1960 6 Claims. ((Zl. 2l0l72) The present invention relates to the electric switch art.

More particularly, the present invention relates to an electric switch, as, for example, a switch adapted for use with large currents, in which the actual switch gear, namely, the contact mechanism proper, is arranged within a casing, generally made of insulating material, with only the terminal posts as well as the actual switch actuating shaft protruding exteriorly of the casing.

Depending on the particular construction of the switch gear, especially the mechanical linkage associated with the movable contact or contacts and the actuating shaft for controlling such linkage, this actuating shaft pro.- trudes either through a side wall or the front wall of the switch casing. Consequently, two types of switches must be provided. In practice, most of the switches being built have their actuating shaft protrude through the side of the casing. It is often desirable, however, to allow the switch to be actuated not from the side but from the front, as, for example, when the switches are arranged in special cast or other protective housings, which housings are then placed side-by-side to form a bank of switches each of which is to be actuated from the front.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a motion converter mechanism by means of which a switch, consisting of a casing which encloses the working parts of the switch mechanism proper and from which casing an actuating shaft protrudes laterally, can be coupled to a setting member which is mounted for movement in a manner independent of the actuating shaft. According to the present invention, the motion converter mechanism may include an engaging member such as a lever by means of which the switch may be controlled from a side other than that through which the actuating shaft protrudes through the switch casing. The motion converter mechanism may be a separate unit which can simply be coupled with a standard type switch. Consequently, it is not necessary that existing switches be changed in any material way; instead, such switches may readily be adapted, by means of the present invention, for actuation from the front.

More particularly, the present invention resides, basically, in a switch comprising switch means having a casing containing switch gear and an actuating shaft protruding laterally from the casing, a rotatably mounted setting member arranged at the front of the switch means, and a motion converter mechanism interconnecting the actuating shaft and the setting member for enabling the switch means to be set by the setting member.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the motion converter mechanism comprises a slide device incorporating a guide rail formed with an elongated slot, a slide member mounted for longitudinal movement along the slot, and a bifurcated lever arm embracing the slide member, which lever arm is mounted on a rotatable axle carrying the setting member so that the lever arm and the setting member rot-ate together as a unit.

Additional objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

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FIGURE 1 is a side elevation view, partly in section, of a switch according to the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a bottom view, partly in section, of the switch shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a front view of the motion converter according to the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a switch casing 1 which is mounted on a support, such as wall 2, and which houses the various parts of the switch gear proper, namely, the contacts, the contact actuating mechanism, the leads to the externally located terminals, and the switch opening and closing means. These parts per so are well known and are, therefore, not illustrated, except for the actuating shaft 3 which protrudes laterally from the side of the casing 1. When the switch is to be actuated from the side, the shaft 3 is provided with an appropriate handle, but if the switch is to be actuated from the front, the handle is replaced by a bushing 4 carrying a forwardly extending actuating rod 5 the free end of which is bent as shown in FIGURE 1.

A support plate 6, which may, for example, be a removable or pivotally mounted cover of a cast housing within which the casing 1 is arranged, carries the motion converter mechanism indicated generally at 7. This converter mechanism comprises a sliding block type crank device incorporating a guide rail 8 which slidably supports a member 9, and a pivotally mounted bifurcated lever arm 10 which embraces the member 9. The guide rail 8 is formed with a longitudinal slot 11; bent-over lugs 12 of the slide member 9 abut against the edges of this slot 11.

The slide member 9 is in the form of a frame and is provided with an opening 13 having two parallel surfaces 13 which are at right angles to the direction in which the slide member 9 may move along the guide rail 8.

At one point along its length, the slot 11 is formed with an enlargement 14. The length of the opening 13 of the slide member 9 is equal to the length of the enlargement 14. The bifurcated arm 10 is fixedly mounted on an axle 15 which is supported by the guide rail 8 as well as by a yoke 16 secured to the guide rail 8. The entire converter mechanism 7 is threadedly mounted on and thus carried by the plate 6.

The axle 15 carries a setting member such as a handle 15 by means of which the shaft may be rotated as indicated by the double arrow 21, as a result of which the actuating shaft 3 of the switch gear is rotated as indicated by the double arrow 20.

The rod 5, which passes through the opening 13 of the slide member 9, carries at its free end a transverse locking pin 19 whose length is greater than the width of the longitudinal slot 11 but less than the width of the enlargement 14. Thus, when the component parts of the slide device are in operative position, the pin 19 overlaps the edges of the slot 11. Consequently, the location of the enlargement determines the position of the parts which will allow the motion converter mechanism 7 to be coupled to the switch gear, i.e., the converter mechanism 7 can be coupled to the switch gear only when the actuating rod 5 and consequently the shaft 3 is in a position in which the pin 19 can pass through the enlargement 14. If this position coincides with the olf position of the switch gear, then the housing of which the plate 6 forms the cover can be opened only when the switch gear within the housing is in fact in the off position.

The converter mechanism 7 further includes a return spring 17 in the form of a torsion spring so that the various components of the mechanism 7,. together with the rod 5 and the shaft 3, will under the influence of this spring be continually biased to an off position which corre sponds to the off position of the switch gear. Thus, the

a handle 15 will, upon opening of the switch gear, assume a position which will be indicative of the fact that the switch gear is in its oil position,

The converter mechanism is further provided with .a detent mechanism for holding the parts in positions corresponding to the on and 01f positions of the switch gear, these positions corresponding, respectively, to the two positions of the rod shown, in FIGURE 1,'in' dashed lines, The detent' mechanism comprises a detent pin 18 carried by theyoke' 16, which detent pin is acted on by a biasing spring 18' that continually urges the pin 18.

into recesses (not shown) formed'in the arm 10. The pin 18 is interposed between a bent lug 16 of the yoke 16 and a collar 18" carried by the pin 18.

It will be understood that the above description of the present invention is susceptible to various modifications, 'chan'ges,'and adaptationgand the same are intendedtqbe comprehended withinthe meaning and range with said'slide device, said slide device comprising a guide rail form'edwith an elongated slo t, a slide member mounted for'longitl'ldinal movement along said slot, and abifurcated lever arm embracing said ,slide member, said 4 lever arm being mounted on a rotatable flfle carrying said setting member, said lever arm and setting member thus being rotatable together as a unit.

2. A switch as defined in claim' 1 wherein said slide device further comprises a return spring for continually urging said setting member into a predetermined position.

3; A switch as defined in claim 1 wherein said converter mechanism further comprises a yoke secured to said guide rail, said yoke and said guide rail forming, respectively, twospaced apart bearings for said axle.

4. A switch as-defined in claim 1 wherein said slide device further comprises detent means for holding the component parts in predetermined positions.

5 A switch as defined in claim 1 wherein said slot is provided with at least one enlargement through which may pass a locking element carried by said actuating rod.

6. A switch as definedin claim 1 wherein said slotis provided with at least one enlargement and wherein said actuating rod carries at its free end a transverse locking pin Whose length is greater than the width of said slot but less-than the width of said enlargement.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,213,657 Rowe Sept. 3, 1940 2,216,298 Rowe Oct. 1, 1940 2,698,361 Mekelburg Dec. 28, 1954 2,849,581 Bingenheimer Aug. 26, 1958 3,009,029 Bodenschatz 'et' al. Nov. 14, 1961 nonnron PATENTS 106,912 Great Britain June 14, 1917 

1. A SWITCH COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION: SWITCH MEANS HAVING A CASING CONTAINING SWITCH GEAR AND AN ACTUATING SHAFT PROTRUDING LATERALLY FROM SAID CASING; A ROTATABLY MOUNTED SWITCH SETTING MEMBER ARRANGED AT THE FRONT SIDE OF SAID SWITCH MEANS; AND A MOTION CONVERTER MECHANISM INTERCONNECTING SAID ACTUATING SHAFT AND SAID SETTING MEMBER FOR ENABLING SAID SWITCH MEANS TO BE SET BY SAID SETTING MEMBER, SAID MOTION CONVERTER MECHANISM COMPRISING A SLIDE DEVICE AND AN ACTUATING ROD, THE LATTER BEING MOUNTED ON SAID ACTUATING SHAFT AND COOPERATING WITH SAID SLIDE DEVICE, SAID SLIDE DEVICE COMPRISING A GUIDE RAIL FORMED WITH AN ELONGATED SLOT, A SLIDE MEMBER MOUNTED FOR LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT ALONG SAID SLOT, AND A BIFURCATED LEVER ARM EMBRACING SAID SLIDE MEMBER, SAID LEVER ARM BEING MOUNTED ON A ROTATABLE AXLE CARRYING SAID SETTING MEMBER, SAID LEVER ARM AND SETTING MEMBER THUS BEING ROTATABLE TOGETHER AS A UNIT. 